


There Was Always Something

by Officialstevenstone (orphan_account)



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-10
Updated: 2015-07-10
Packaged: 2018-04-08 16:57:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4312989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/Officialstevenstone
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rhett and Link are soulmates. And married.<br/>They just never worked up the nerve to tell their fanbase.</p>
            </blockquote>





	There Was Always Something

**Author's Note:**

> So by some weird surge of inspiration, I managed to finish this monster that's been sitting in my folders since mid-June. I've read over it more times than I can count, pre and post-beta, so I'm kinda done with looking at it. Feel free to ask questions about world building or anything that was just confusing to read, there's also small glossary at the end for any clarification. 
> 
> A HUGE thank you to my wonderful beta, [Grace](http://archiveofourown.org/users/generally).
> 
> (Note: RandL's mark's are small black triangles on their palms. Rhett's is on his left hand, Link's is on his right.)

The subject of their marks was a touchy one. Under certain circumstances, that is.

When it concerned just the two of them, their own personal matters and decisions, it was a second-nature discussion. Their lives had been woven together because of it; all of their memories were permeated by the constant reminder that they were meant to be together. They were _soulmates_ , a pair of anomalies that would never quite fit with anyone else.

No, it became the elephant in the room when it concerned _other_ people. Rhett’s mentality was that it was nobody’s business, that their marked bond was just that – theirs.  Link had always been the more self-conscious of the pair, first fearing persecution by their peers early in life, and later, their fans.

The strong feeling of anxiety that came up whenever they discussed coming out to the Mythical Beasts always sent Link reeling into the safety of the shadows. It’s not like they tried to hide it. Rhett’s left hand and Link’s right were often facing the camera in some way or another during various episodes, leaving the small triangles in plain sight. But coming out and saying that they were bonded was something else entirely compared to leaving it up for the fans to figure out.

“It’s not the 80’s anymore, Link! Nobody’s going to care,” Rhett was trying to tell him after wrapping on a particularly intimate GMM. They were both in their private office at that point, sparing the crew the second-hand embarrassment of having to witness their bickering. “You know how many people have already guessed it, anyway. We’re not really the most subtle when it comes to our marks.”

Shaking his head, Link’s left hand subconsciously moved to rub his thumb over the black triangle imprinted on his right palm. He leaned his hip against his desk, limbs heavy from exhaustion even though it was barely noon. This particular conversation always wore him out, even though he knew Rhett had a point.

“For the record, they’ve only guessed that we’re _platonic_ soulmates. And those who go any further than that get written off as wishful fangirls.” He turned away, eyes downcast and hands moving to rest against the polished wood he had previously been leaning on. He heard Rhett let out a sigh of frustration and cringed internally. There was just no guarantee that things would remain the same if they were honest about their relationship.

It wasn’t that he didn’t like the idea of being open with their fans. It was just safer to keep it hidden. They had carefully constructed their presence on the internet around the intimate parts of their history. Their entire life story was basically laid out for anyone to see (sans any mention of their marks, of course), and that’s what helped them draw in such a large crowd. They were two best friends who had been together damn near forever, producing content and serving the masses on a daily basis. They considered themselves the luckiest men in the world.

 Link just didn’t want all of it to crumble out from under them.

“I know why you’re scared, Link, trust me. You know, normally I wouldn’t think it was anyone’s business, anyway, but it’s getting so difficult to hide this now that we’re married. You know just as well as me how many GMMs we’ve had to re-film just because one of us forgot to take off our ring. It’d just be easier if we were frank with everyone.” Rhett murmured softly, his voice tired.

Warm arms encircled Link’s waist before he could reply, Rhett’s forehead coming to rest against the smaller man’s shoulder. Their marked hands sought each other out instinctively, palms pressed together and fingers entwined. They stood like that for a moment, Link’s eyes going half-lidded when he felt the gentle press of Rhett’s lips against the side of his throat.

There was a lot to consider, options to weigh and calculations to do on just how much their business would be affected by this. Telling people they were married shouldn’t be such a big deal – Link knew he was making a mountain out of a molehill in that regard – but when it could possibly threaten not only _them_ , but also their _crew_ , well…

Link twisted around slightly, right hand untangling from Rhett’s and eyes closing as he leaned in for a chaste kiss. His fingers brushed lightly against the taller man’s cheek before he pulled away and mumbled:

“Let me think about it.”

-

It was late in the afternoon the next time Link thought of the topic.

He was curled up on the living room couch, legs crossed and shoulders hunched as he pulled his laptop out from his backpack and opened it. Rhett was in the bedroom napping, worn out from a long day of filming their newest music video. He’d been asleep for less than an hour, but judging by how he nearly passed out while driving the car on their way home, Link didn’t think he’d be waking up any time soon.

Chewing his lip, Link typed in his password. His thoughts hadn’t quite recovered from the conversation they’d had earlier that week. Rhett had brought up some good points; it _would_ be easier if they came right out and told their fanbase that they were romantically involved, business matters aside. Still, his doubts and fears were weighing heavy in the back of his mind each time he thought of discussing such a big, intimate subject with all of their viewers. He opened Safari and typed YouTube.com into the address bar after his computer had finally warmed up.

There was a part of him that felt that the Mythical Beasts deserved to know, especially after how open the two of them had been about everything else in their lives. Their fans had stuck with them through thick and thin, asking so little and eagerly embracing whatever content the pair produced.

 But there was another part of him that made him want to bare his fangs and snap because, no, it wasn’t any of the Mythical Beast’s business on whether or not he was in a relationship with Rhett. The topic of soulmates went beyond personal; it was a core aspect of their lives that pervaded their every waking moment since birth. Not that any of that really even needed to matter…they were human beings, for goodness’ sake! They didn’t have to broadcast every single factor of their existence onto the Internet if they didn’t want to.

Link shook his head and absentmindedly touched the mark on his right palm while he waited for the site to load. He knew that his doubt was the only reason they were forced to put up a wall between them when they were in front of the cameras or fans. But then again, Rhett hadn’t really ever pressed the topic. Maybe Link was just overthinking it again…

He let out a soft sigh as the familiar front page appeared and wasted no time in typing into the search bar what he originally opened his laptop for.

_Coming out._

Embarrassment crawled up Link’s spine, forcing him to duck his head and scratch the back of his neck as he pressed enter. What was he even doing? Soulmates and sexuality were completely different things; the video wouldn’t have any of the answers he was looking for.

_But the comment section might._

Before he gave himself time to back out of the endless sea of search results, Link had already shoved his earbuds in and clicked on the first video. It was some YouTuber he had vaguely remembered hearing about. Maybe they had met once or twice?

Link watched the first few minutes, drawing his knees to his chest and smiling as he listened to the teary eyed confession. The utter relief on her face after the initial admission sent a pang in his ribs, a yearning to be able to feel the same satisfaction spreading throughout his body. He paused after that, heart aching too much to continue. Scrolling down the page, Link began to carefully scan the comments.

The majority were supportive, some other entertainers throwing in comforting words and praise among the general flood of fans. There were more arguments about how people should be happy for her than there were people actually bashing the video, Link noted happily.

He read through a few more comments before clicking back and moving onto the next video, repeating the process several more times. The amount of support that each person’s story was getting made Link feel giddy. The doubt and worry that had been resting in the back of his mind seemed to become significantly lighter and less intimidating.

Even though their situation was different from coming out in terms of sexuality, the support from their fans would be the same. The internet was accepting, more so than Link had originally judged.

 _This isn’t Buies Creek,_ he reminded himself sternly as he closed his laptop. Link glanced at the clock as he stood and stretched his numb leg muscles, surprised to see how much time had passed since he first curled up on the couch. It was already eight, and Rhett was still asleep.

 _Or just being extremely quiet,_ Link thought to himself, silently hoping that he’d be able to startle his sleeping husband awake. He quickly tiptoed through the hall towards their bedroom, a sly grin forming on his face when he poked his head into their room and found that Rhett was indeed still asleep.

Taking a few steps back, Link catapulted himself across the space between the door and the bed, laughing loudly as he bounced himself and Rhett against the cushiony surface. A low groan emanated from beneath the mountain of blankets before a bleary-eyed Rhett poked his head out.

“Thanks for that,” he huffed groggily, a small smile spreading across his features as his eyes adjusted to the dim lighting and he saw the massive, shit-eating grin that Link wore proudly.

Before the shorter man could reply, Rhett stuck his arm out and wrapped it around Link’s waist, pulling him down and earning a startled yelp. Rhett nuzzled his cheek against Link’s neck almost instantly, eyelashes and beard brushing the sensitive skin as he smushed his face as close as possible.

“Comfy,” he mumbled.

Link laughed before turning to press a soft kiss to the top of Rhett’s head. There were still things they needed to talk about (between the two of them as well as the crew) in terms of filming a soulmates episode, but the thought of it no longer terrified Link like it used to. Sure, there was still a small lingering bit of anxiety, but he figured there always would be. Their fans had supported them for years; they couldn’t just abandon them like he had convinced himself they would. There was plenty of evidence from other Youtubers to support that. How it affected them business-wise wouldn’t be much of a problem; there were plenty of sponsors who would approach them if one of their current ones fell through.

Curling tighter around the now dozing Rhett, Link felt the small triangle on his palm tingle. Everything was going to turn out okay.

-

“I think… I think I’m ready to tell everyone.”

Link worried his bottom lip between his teeth as he heard a quick intake of breath behind him. He tried to keep his posture relaxed, but the energy buzzing across his muscles was making it difficult. This was a big step, and no matter how much Link prepared himself mentally, there would always be that rush of adrenaline that shot through him every time he considered the subject. He hoped his shaking hands wouldn’t give away too much.

Or burn their eggs.

“Are you sure?” Rhett asked after a moment, a note of concern in his voice. But even that couldn’t mask the layer of excitement that was already practically radiating off of him. The corners of Link’s lips quirked up into a small smile as he turned to glance back at Rhett.

Their eyes met and Link nodded, giving a brief hum of assurance before he turned back around to the stove in order to attend to their breakfast. It was one of the rare mornings where they didn’t have anywhere to be for the day, so the pair had decided to soak it up the best way they knew how – together.

It was the perfect time to discuss the touchy topic.

Pushing the finished scrambled eggs from the pan and onto a couple of plates that already contained toast and bacon, Link moved the food from the counter and onto the small table a few feet away. Rhett was in his boxers and a white undershirt, hair disheveled and gaze trailing his significant other’s movements with a wide grin on his face.

“What’s the look for?” Link teased as he pulled out his chair and sat down. He watched happily as Rhett’s smile grew and he glanced away hurriedly. They had known each other for over thirty years and they could still make each other giddier than a schoolgirl.

Rhett picked up his fork and began to dig into the meal, practically glowing as he chewed the warm food.

“Just happy,” he said after swallowing, “happy that we won’t have to hide this – us – much longer.” His left hand curled into a loose fist at the statement, fingers brushing his palm.

“We still have a lot to talk about. Don’t get too ahead of yourself,” Link told him good-naturedly.

They ate in comfortable silence after that, gazes moving over one another as the rising sun bathed the kitchen in warmth. In their fast paced lives of adventure and change, this small pause was a welcome one. Rarely did they get downtime that wasn’t spent planning episodes or music videos, attending meetings, or replying to emails. It seemed like they were never truly off the clock.

“I’m happy too, though.” Link declared after a few minutes of quiet eating. “Because once this episode is filmed - _if_ it’s filmed, I won’t have to go through makeup every day in order to cover up the hickies you keep giving me. The entire world will know that we’re soulmates… and that you’re a biter.”

Rhett snorted at the accusation. “As if _you’re_ not one, too? You _have_ seen my shoulders and collarbone, right?”

“Both of those places can be covered by a shirt.”

“Still not enough for me to forget the fact that you make me _bleed_ because of your vampire fangs.”

The faux-seriousness broke as grins spread across their faces, laughter following shortly after. Chair legs scrapped against hardwood and silverware clanked noisily against their now empty plates. After the last dregs of coffee were consumed and their dishes were washed and put away, the pair fell back into bed together. Giggles still sounded between them, most of which were shushed by soft, lingering kisses and gentle brushes against the already fading bruises littering their necks and shoulders.

Marked hands pressed close together, fingers interlocking loosely. The physical contact of their marks against one another sent warmth up their arms, the feeling seeping into the rest of their bodies slowly.

“Let’s never get out of bed again,” Link murmured, his unoccupied fingers brushing slowly through Rhett’s untamed hair. The taller man was curled around Link’s frame, his head resting against the other’s chest.

Rhett gave a small hum of agreement, a content feeling settling deep in his chest. This was nice. Being domestic, lazy, all cuddled up and sweet against one another was a rare moment that he never wanted to end.

His mind began to wander as Link continued to stroke his hair, plans and ideas for their soulmate GMM formulating behind closed eyelids. It didn’t need to be huge or elaborate; something simple and informative would be perfect. Educating people while also explaining their relationship would be a good combination, as there were too many misconceptions when it came to being marked and bonded. The media tended to spin half-truths and spit out clickbait article after clickbait article in terms of stories and news on soulmates, and more often than not, people fell for it. They could try and fix that.

In the haze of his half-asleep brainstorming, Rhett vaguely registered the fingers buried in his hair moving lazily down to his neck. Link’s index finger began to draw shapes into the delicate skin, repeating the same movements until Rhett came to the realization that something was being spelled along his throat. The pattern persisted and the corners of the taller man’s lips began to twitch into a smile as he deciphered what Link was trying to communicate.

“Yeah,” he murmured, “I love you too.”

-

The crew had been more than willing to help them with The Episode (as dramatically dubbed by Eddie) when the pair brought it up to them in a hastily-organized kitchen meeting a few days later.

“We’ll be doing most of the writing and research for this one since it’s such a… _personal_ episode,” Link told the small crowd. The words were clipped, business-like in a way that Link normally wasn’t. The atmosphere shifted ever so slightly as the crew picked up on the odd vibe, their eyes flicking between one another as the meeting progressed.

Rhett picked up on it too, though he held is tongue as to not cause a scene in front of their employees. Link would deny up and down that anything was wrong if he was called out in front of others when it came to emotional distress. The man would let the entire building know when he was in physical pain, but could plaster on a fake smile faster than any of them in times of emotional difficulty.

The meeting was dismissed shortly after with the schedule fixed: filming on Friday, editing (courtesy of Morgan) over the weekend, release on the following Monday.

“I better get a bonus for working on a weekend,” their editing guru teased them lightly as they all dispersed to their offices.

“Come on, this’ll take you ten minutes, max. You won’t even have to come to the studio!” Rhett retorted, his gaze following Link’s figure moving quickly towards their office. His left hand itched.

“M-hm, sure thing, Boss. You know I don’t care either way.” Morgan paused, glancing towards Link. “You should probably go get Smaller Boss and fix whatever’s about to break before it shatters, though.”

He was gone before Rhett could even reply, a small sigh working past his lips as he turned and followed after the shorter man. They had talked for hours about The Episode, brainstorming as well as making sure they were truly ready to follow through with their own version of “coming out.” He knew Link was nervous. Heck, Rhett was nervous himself. But the smaller of the two had sworn up and down that he was prepared to start working on it.

Taking a slow breath, Rhett pushed open the door to their shared office, his gaze instantly snapping to Link’s side of the room. He was sitting at his desk, shoulders slumped and glasses off, the heels of his hands digging into his eyes.

“Gosh, I must have looked like an idiot.” Frustration was evident in his voice, the sound raw and vulnerable as it reverberated off the walls of the room.

Rhett said nothing, opting instead to make his way to Link’s side. He rested his hand against the smaller man’s shoulder, the pressure washing over Link like a safety blanket. Rhett had come to realize in the years of their friendship that it was best to let Link spill his emotions on his own terms. He would talk when he was ready.

“It just… it hit me halfway through the meeting that this is going to happen. It’s not just an idea on a piece of paper anymore. It’s real, and it’s happening.” Link continued, his hands moving from rubbing his eyes to cupping his face in order to hide any trace of fear or shame in his expression.

“We don’t have to do this if you don’t want too,” Rhett murmured softly, his thumb rubbing gently against the fabric of Link’s shirt. The small, intimate gesture sent shivers up Link’s spine. “You know that.”

“No,” Link sighed after a few moments. “I want to do this. We _need_ to do this. I’m just nervous, s’all.”

Link moved his hands to his lap and turned his head to glance up at his husband. His features were blurred together, but Link knew the taller man had a concerned look on his face. They’d been together long enough that they could read one another’s body language and tone like the back of their hands.

“I’m okay, Rhett, I promise.”

There was a pause as they looked at one another, a silent conversation happening between the pair. Rhett’s hand moved, cupping the back of Link’s neck as he leaned down to press a brief kiss to the smaller man’s forehead.

“We should start researching, then,” Rhett said as he pulled away, his voice soft. “Don’t feel pressured to do this though, okay? Please?”

Link gave a quick nod before he pushed himself away from his desk, one hand grabbing his glasses as he went. They both picked up their laptops and moved towards their shared table that they reserved for planning collaborative episodes.

The close proximity as well as the familiar activity would ease him out of his nervous state, Link reasoned as they situated themselves around the small desk. He was determined to follow through with filming The Episode, no matter how bad it made his stomach churn. It wasn’t fair to themselves or their fans to keep their marriage a secret.

“Okay, what facts do we already know about soulmates? Best to start with what we’re familiar with.” Link said as he opened his laptop. He forced the tension from his shoulders, the muscles slowly relaxing as he waited for the computer to turn on.

“A common fact would be a good introduction,” Rhett paused as he quickly typed in his password. “Like a statistic or something. Six-point-four percent of the world’s population have soulmates, right?”

“Yeah, something like that. It’s been a while since I’ve brushed up on Soulmates 101, though.”

“You think the number could have changed? I’m just ballparking the best I can, here.” The taller man glanced over his laptop, an eyebrow raised to punctuate the question.

“It’d be best to check. The next fact should probably be something lesser known. Like the whole separation thing. People are always surprised by the fact that we don’t have to be attached at the hip.” Link felt himself slowly sinking into the soothing back-and-forth of their shared work, the nervousness that was previously curled in the pit of his stomach beginning to unravel and disappear.

“That sounds good. What’s the longest we’ve been apart before one of us got anxious over it?” Rhett asked, his leg subconsciously pressing against Link’s under the small desk.

“Well I’m always anxious when we’re not together. You know how I get,” Link replied, his eyes trailing over the screen of his laptop as he pulled up various websites and started sorting information into a Word document. “But I guess serious anxiety happened after about a week and a half? You were up in North Carolina visiting your parents a couple years ago and I had to stay back to work out some stuff for the business, remember?”

Rhett nodded. “Yeah. I’d say it’s about the same for me, too. Make a note to look up what the average is. We could be outliers.”

The conversation continued like that, ideas being bounced back and forth while the sound of clicking keys was a near constant in the background. They immersed themselves in their work, The Episode slowly but surely coming together as they gathered information and laid out the format. Rarely did they get to write episodes anymore; nowadays, other areas of their business required their attention much more than episode planning did.

After a few hours of nonstop work, the pair leaned back from their computers, content smiles on their faces as their conversation transformed into light banter. They slowly packed up their items, legs untangling as they got up from the table and moved back to their own spaces.

“We should go get lunch. I need a break.” Link yawned, his arms moving behind his head to stretch. He let out a satisfied noise when his back popped.

Rhett poked at the skin that became exposed when the smaller man’s shirt hiked up, a smirk quirking up on his lips when Link let out a small yelp. His arms instinctively went to cover his sides, hands scratching at the sensitive skin before they quickly moved and jabbed into Rhett’s stomach in retaliation.

The taller man let out a bark of laughter at the contact, his body shying away from the rough touch. “Okay, okay, stop it, you! Let’s go get some food.”

After determining that neither would try and start up another tickle fight, the pair finished putting away their things and exited the building. Their shoulders brushed and their hands tangled together loosely when they stepped out of the air-conditioned office and into the California sun. The sudden change of temperature sent a shiver up Rhett’s spine and goosebumps along his arm.

Link was saying something, his tone light and carefree, a welcome shift from his earlier mood. Rhett smiled, and when Link questioned his change of disposition, he simply replied with sweet nothings until the smaller man’s face was flushed a lovely shade of pink.

-

Link’s hands were shaking. Hard. He could barely hold his coffee mug without the contents almost sloshing out. There wasn’t much he could do to try and control his nerves, and the three cups of coffee he’d already downed that morning probably weren’t helping.

But he was also excited. His pulse was rapid (again, the coffee was probably to blame for that), and the small triangle on his palm tingled, something that always happened when he was about to do something exhilarating.

At that point, Rhett’s presence was the only thing keeping him even somewhat grounded. Warmth radiated off the taller man’s body, soaking into Link’s side like it always did when they filmed GMM. It was relaxing, familiar, just like most things when it came to Rhett. His posture, the texture of his skin, the callouses lining his fingers… they were all distinct and comforting in a way that Link couldn’t describe but was all too accustomed to.

“Hey,” Rhett murmured low, his beard brushing against Link’s ear and pulling the smaller man out of his train of thought, “you okay?”

His voice was quiet, nearly inaudible to any of the crewmembers milling around them. He didn’t want to draw attention to Link’s nervousness. Not that their employees were paying the pair any mind, though. They were too preoccupied by their own tasks of prepping for Good Mythical Morning.

“Yeah, uh, why’dya ask?” Link replied in an equally soft manner. A shiver went up his spine when Rhett’s breath ghosted across his neck as he pulled away.

Their eyes met and Rhett shrugged, his left hand moving to rest over Link’s right one.

 “Your hands are shaking. More than they usually do.”

“Oh. I guess I’m a little anxious, is all.” The smaller man forced a short laugh even though it wasn’t all that funny. He just didn’t want Rhett to worry, or worse, possibly call off filming The Episode today.

Rhett intertwined their fingers, a pleasant feeling settling somewhere in Link’s chest at the intimate gesture. He was still nervous, still fidgety, but the sensation of their skin pressed warm together was soothing all the same. He offered the taller man a small, thankful smile before they were interrupted by Stevie.

“Okay lovebirds,” she teased, “we’re ready to film when you are.”

They glanced at one another, a silent exchange happening for a brief moment before Link turned back to their producer with a confident nod. Energy flashed across his muscles, giving him a much needed, new found vigor.

“Let’s get this done and over with, just like we talked about.”

As the crew took their places behind the camera, the previous rush of adrenaline ceased the trembling in Link’s hands. God, he was still nervous, still terrified, but he was ready. He untangled his hand from Rhett’s, a grin spreading across his face when Eddie began the countdown.

When he signaled that they were filming, Rhett spoke instantly, his voice strong and smooth. There was no hesitation or fear, no nervous tremors, nothing but the raw confidence that he always seemed to possess.

“Link and I are soulmates.”

He held up his left hand so that the small black triangle was visible, Link mirroring the movement with his right hand before he said their signature “Let’s talk about that” with a wide grin.

They paused for a moment, giving plenty of space between the opening and the beginning of their conversation so that Morgan could edit in the intro without everything seeming too jumbled.

“Good Mythical Morning!” Link exclaimed after the brief pause, making sure to put extra emphasis on the “–ing.” He lowered his hand, watching out of the corner of his eye as Rhett did the same.

“For as long as Link and I have been on YouTube, there have been comments about the marks on our hands,” Rhett said as leaned his elbows against the table, his body pitched forward slightly. “We figured it was time to come out and say a few things about that.”

Link gave a hum of agreement, his eyes glancing between his significant other and the camera as Rhett continued to speak. He admired how at ease the taller man looked on the surface, even though Link knew that his muscles were buzzing with nervous energy from the slight clench in his jaw. It was one of the little signs that nobody else could see, not like Link could at least.

“Like I said before, and as many of you have already figured out, Link and I are indeed soulmates. And before you start commenting about the rings on our fingers – yes, we’re also married.”

“We have been, for a few months.” Link added. He felt himself already beginning to relax into their conversation, the weight that had been resting along his shoulders slowly lifting with each passing second. They’d made the right choice in deciding to come forward.

“Our personal lives aren’t the main focus of the episode today, though; we’ll get around to discussing some more about that in Good Mythical More. Right now, we’re going to talk about six facts we’ve gathered…”

“From personal experience as well as from the Internet,” Link interjected as he adjusted his glasses. His nervous cues were showing, but he didn’t care. Not anymore.

“…on what it’s like to be bonded to someone else.” Rhett finished, his lips forming a playful smile as he stared into the camera. He glanced at the man beside him, eyes trained on Link’s as he curled their fingers together. They were allowed to do stuff like this now, and Rhett was going to milk it for all it’s worth.

The episode flashed by in a blur as they went through their six facts, their laughter mixing together as they poked fun at one another and touched over various childhood tales that were centered around their marks. Soon GMM turned into GMMore and then that faded into storytelling with the crew after the camera was shut off.

Hours passed in amusement until they were all forced to disperse to their separate offices to finish up their final bits of work. The sun was getting close to setting and the work day was drawing to its close, loud voices ringing through the hallways as the staff shouted their goodbyes to one another.

Morgan passed by to say one final farewell to the newly outed couple, his head poking into their shared office before he left for the day. He opened his mouth to make a smart-aleck quip, though his voice caught when he saw the position both of his bosses were in.

They were pressed against one another in a hug, bodies fitted together like puzzle pieces. Link’s head rested against Rhett’s shoulder, his glasses skewed slightly and a content smile dancing along his lips. Tears pooled at the corners of his closed eyes and it sounded like Rhett was murmuring something into the smaller man’s hair, his fingers stroking along Link’s neck.

The witty remark died on his tongue but he supposed that he couldn’t be too mad. It was an intimate scene; one Morgan knew he wasn’t supposed to watch. He backed away from the room slowly and quietly, a soft grin spread across his face as he pulled the door almost closed. They didn’t know he had seen them like that, vulnerable and wrapped up in each other, but he never brought it up again.

There were plenty of things to tease them about, and their fleeting, precious moments together was not one of them.

-

The episode aired the following Monday and they were met with an uproar of support, so the only logical conclusion was to celebrate. Or, well, that was Link’s conclusion.

He pulled Rhett against him the moment the door was closed behind them, mouths cemented together in a harsh kiss. Car keys clattered against the wooden entry table, Rhett’s hands immediately finding their way to Link’s hips.

“Well,” he gasped when they pulled apart briefly, “no wonder you were excited to get home today.”

His voice was raw with desire, a sound that sent shivers up Link’s spine. Instead of replying, the smaller man simply pressed closer until there was nothing but the cotton of their clothes separating them. He threw his arms around Rhett’s neck and nipped at his lower lip with a laugh.

“Take me to the bedroom,” he whispered breathlessly, face already flushing from the brief contact.

Rhett grinned, something along the lines of “lazy tease” and a bad Hozier pun falling from his lips and along Link’s skin as he bent down to nuzzle into his neck. They moved farther into the house together, hands groping and mouths searching while a mix of giggles and moans erupted between them. Their shirts were shed along the way, thrown lazily over various pieces of furniture.

Once in their darkened room, Rhett pushed Link onto the bed, his hand splayed against the smaller man’s chest. The light dusting of hair tickled Rhett’s palm and the soothing _thump thump thump_ of Link’s heartbeat sent electricity crackling up his arm. Link propped himself up on his elbows, glasses skewed and hair sticking every which way. He licked his lips as his eyes roamed over Rhett’s body and it took all of the taller man’s strength to hold himself back from ripping the rest of Link’s clothes off.

He sunk into Link’s lap slowly instead, mutual groans spilling from their lips at the slight friction. Leaning down, Rhett brushed his mouth over Link’s collarbone before he sunk his teeth into the sensitive flesh.

Crying out in surprise and pleasure, Link moved one hand and twined his fingers into Rhett’s hair, urging him to continue his rough ministrations. He moved his lips along Link’s shoulders and chest, sucking and biting bruises along his skin.

“Rhett,” the smaller man groaned out, his entire body trembling with want. “My neck, please.”

Moving up so that they were face to face now, Rhett laughed softly at the dizzied expression on Link’s features. His mouth was parted slightly, his breath coming out in short gasps while his cheeks were flushed a mild shade of red.

“I thought the hickies bothered you?” Rhett teased. His beard scraped across Link’s cheek as he placed delicate kisses along the man’s jawline.

“No, not this time. I _want_ people to see them. I want people to know that we’re together.” His voice was rough with lust, with need. “That I’m yours.”

To punctuate the statement, Link tugged Rhett’s head down to his neck, a loud moan falling from his lips when Rhett scraped his teeth over Link’s pulse point.

He worked a few bruises into the sensitive skin, making sure to press a soft kiss over each one. There was a sort of promise transferred between the touch of Rhett’s lips to Link’s heated bruises, one that neither could quite decipher what it was.

They intended to keep it all the same.

**Author's Note:**

>  __  
>  **Glossary**  
>   
> 
>  **Bonded** \- A term used to describe someone who has a mark and has already found their soulmate. Often used in conjunction with "marked." (i.e., Marked and Bonded.)  
>  **Mark** \- A small, irregular symbol that appears on any part of the body before birth. Indicates that it's owner has a soulmate(s).  
>  **Marked** \- A term used to describe someone with a soulmate. Often used in conjunction with "bonded." (i.e., Marked and Bonded.)


End file.
